Walking and Working...

Walking has taken a back seat to working...in the garden.

The Piano that sits at Turkey Head on the walkway by The Marina in Oak Bay.

On a recent walk, 

Mother and my Sister sat down to play a duet!

I think this is a native plant.

Pretty in Pink.

Here's the wee lending library box on Clare Street.

I walked around the area and loved the friendly greetings that I got from the people in their gardens.

The houses are a mix of old and new and there are lots of patios and porches and beautiful cottage style gardens lining the streets.

It's an old fashioned neighbourhood...like the kind I grew up in when I was young.

There are only so many hours in the day and I have been consumed...
(probably more accurately "obsessed" with a few of our problem beds.)
The ones in particular where the dog violets have gone from pretty flowering plants with dainty purple blooms to non flowering seed bearing maniacs!
It must be the hot summer that has them thinking reproduce or die!

The first bed has been weeded, dug and covered with the help of a young woman who lives across the street from Our Humble Bungalow...
I am taking a short break from the blog and will be posting on Instagram.

Introducing Mr. HB...

Mr. HB likes to remain behind the scenes here on The Humble Bungalow Blog.
As well as being my husband, father of our two wonderful children, he works hard at his craft.
Mr. HB is clever, he's scientific, mathematical, detail oriented and his artistic creativity knows no bounds...
put all those talents together and you'll arrive at architecture.

I have decided to put this post together as he recently took me to see his newly opened UVIC University Centre Food Services project and I got to view first hand what he has been up to for the last four years of planning and this past year overseeing the construction. He's a busy fellow!
(all the while working on other projects)

A picture is worth a thousand words so I'll let the pictures do most of the talking...

a living wall feature

lush greenery

"the boardwalk" 

flooring snakes through the various food kiosks

We visited very early Saturday morning before the masses decended...

This is a bit different from my usual post topics but one that is very near and dear to my heart.

It is hard to me to imagine just how much work goes on behind the scenes of a successful project...

I only know many hours (years) are put into making a project of this scope happen.

When friends ask to go for a walk I might suggest we wander along the campus nature trails and then stop for a coffee or a bite to eat at the Food Services venue at The University Centre... 

Thank you Mr. HB for another exciting venue!

French Vanilla...a wee bit of French chic.

French Vanilla is a wonderful shop filled with French vintage and French inspired wares, I stop in and browse regularly. I find most of my French linen tea towels here.

The shops is full of French soaps, linens, dishes, glasses, furniture and home decor items.
Sheila is now stocking some clothing in addition to her jewelry and scarves.
There is something for everyone here...it's a great spot to buy a gift for a friend or indulge in a little something for yourself...perhaps a lavender sachet for your lingerie drawer or an emollient hand cream or maybe you'd enjoy a scented candle.

I popped in a few minutes before the Blogger Tea earlier this month and found some wee gifts for the ladies.

My OOTD snapped before asking if I could take some photos of the shop.
I would buy this mirror in a heartbeat but sadly it is not for sale. I must see if I can find one like it.

French Vanilla, located on Oak Bay Avenue, with plenty of free street parking to allow you ample time to browse.

That looks like a red Valentine heart and some cheery red hyacinths on the table.

Love the Bella Notte bedding.

If you pop in please let me know what you think.

Say hi to Sheila, she's always got a big smile because her shop is a reflection of what makes her happy.

She followed her bliss and opened French Vanilla after a career in government.

I so admire women who are not afraid to take risks.

Coming to a crossroads later in life, listening to one's head and heart and acting on those messages takes courage.

Now if I could only convince her to sell me that mirror....

Hope you've been making the best of your week...

it's been a busy one here so far in The Humble Bungalow.

Simple scarf ~ Stuffed eggs ~ and an Orchid

Warning!
This post is not an upbeat one so you may want to click away...

It's been one of those weeks...
without getting into too much detail
work has been very tedious
so much so that it has reaffirmed my decision to retire!

On a cold grey and rainy day this week I wore all black...
RW and Co. black leggings (in their 3rd year and they still look great)
a Gilmour tunic top that swamps me a bit
and my Echo summer weight scarf.

~ So simple ~

take a rectangular long scarf

wrap it around your neck with the ends at the back

bring them around to the front and loop them loosely over the front of the scarf

one side gets looped a second time so the ends are at different lengths.

How easy is that?

I loosen it so that it sits lower rather than higher

in the summer when it is not chilly I do not like my neck to be warm.

I made my stuffed eggs with low fat mayonnaise.

(WW Point count friendly = savings of 2 points per tablespoon)

I use curry powder, pepper, a spoonful of green relish, a dash of worchestershire sauce 

 mix with the cooked yolks

stuff the eggs and top with chives or parsley.

The egg dish has a large center and I am always trying to figure out a way of making it look pretty.

This time I laid down a bed of greens and put some fresh radishes on top.

Appies in a flash and this one is a frugal favourite.

I felt drained when I left work today

I have a scratchy throat

and am feeling sick

and it was WW weigh in day...

I am down .8 of a pound

for a total of 12.2 pounds lost since I started....

I knew that tonight I was feeling weak and oh so vulnerable...

I needed to go grocery shopping

I remained strong and did not succumb to chips or chocolates

instead I bought this...

an orchid

So pretty...

I do hope that your work week has been better than mine...

and if you stayed here and read my sad sack post

I promise that I will rally and rise up again and deliver better chit chat soon!

~ ~ ~

"This Too Shall Pass."

Pretty in Pink...

Walking about in South Fairfield in April has a bonus...
there are the ocean views and there are the blooming trees.....

Look up!

Look way up.

Like pink cotton candy

frilly and frothy petals.

Closing in on the blooms...

and they are sweetly scented.

Pink petals as a snowy pavement.

Pink magnolia on the next street...

I openly wept at work.

In Music, 

an autistic student danced with joy and abandon with another student...

he smiled broadly and kept an eye on the moves that he was to follow.

We all watched and I held my breath...

The entire class applauded and I was overcome with emotion.

My glasses steamed up and I put them up on my head 

I had no tissues

so I tapped my nose with my hand and hoped that the kids did not notice.

I think that things are just going to get way more emotional as the days go by...

and I know I have 2 months left to work!

I feel that I have given my best to these students over the years.

I hope that I have paved the way for their continued success.

Saying goodbye will be bittersweet.

Thank goodness I have a few weeks to prepare.

It will be fun to see what the next chapter will bring.

Smile at a stranger today!

Hostess

French Vanilla ~ (a shop I love)

I've written about French Vanilla before...
the lovely French themed gift shop in the Oak Bay area of town.
I pop in every month to pick up my copy of Jeanne D'Arc magazine and to peruse what is new and exciting.

There are lovely linens, soaps, scarves, accessories and an array of home decor items.
She also stocks and sells Anne Sloan Chalk Paint and is planning to have classes on how to refurbish furniture by using this paint. There is no prep work involved so it saves oodles of time and the results are quite remarkable.
Sheila has a great eye and her shop is full of enticing and tempting items.
If you live in town you really must pop in and check out her wonderful wares.

                             I love black and white and this pillow is well made...

I love the pattern and it's perfect for my kitchen bench seat.

The pillow is hand made locally by a retired woman who loves to sew.

It turns out our children went to school together and I remember them having after school play dates and driving them on school field trips.

She has used a different fabric pattern for the back 

and she made some beautiful fabric covered buttons using the same print as the front.

The pillow is filled with a down insert and is plump allowing comfort at my back.

~ ~ ~

Recently I have been getting a LOT of spam on my blog.

I am not sure what that means in the whole scheme of things

perhaps it is because I do not have word verification enabled 

or perhaps it's because I have been getting more traffic to my site.

(which I do like!)

In any event it is rather tedious deleting these comments and not all of them go into the spam filter.

I am wondering how many of you would be reluctant to comment if I were to enable word verification?

When I comment on other blogs often the verification slows me down as the numbers are blurry.

My eyes are not what they used to be even with glasses!

So reader what is your opinion?

~ ~ ~

Aside from spam dinner is a weeknight special

 a pot roast simmering on the stove, 

potatoes are boiling waiting to be mashed 

and I need to prepare the peas.

Leftovers for Mr. HB's sandwiches tomorrow and maybe even dinner Friday night!

The week feels extra long...

work has been a struggle

I'm a wee bit grumpy.

The city has been digging up our road as there are two new houses going in across the street on the corner

and the storm drains needed upgrading so our driveway was the target zone...

the jack hammering shook the house 

 the cats were startled, 

the windows rattled, 

knick knacks vibrated and skidded on the shelves

there is a big hole out front right now 

 it should be filled in soon and then we can park our vehicles in our regular spots

the gravel driveway 

and in front of our Humble Bungalow.

How has your week been?

Musings and the winds of change are blowing through The Humble Bungalow

Thank you all for your warm wishes and wonderful comments on my blog yesterday.
You made my blog anniversary something special.
I am very grateful.

Random thoughts are zigging and zagging while I sit calmly sipping my tea.
"Be still my mind" I mutter aloud,
 and yet there's no silencing the voice within...

Retirement has been very much on my brain of late.
I think that there is a change blowing in the wind.
Beckoning...

I've been working for the same school district for almost 25 years!
Mother's health is gradually deteriorating, her mind is getting muddled and she is confused about her banking, investments, and worries more often about simple daily routines.

Plus I have been getting almost every cold and flu bug going around in our vast school.
I am home sick today with the stomach flu.

So I'm pondering a change...thinking out loud today here on my blog.
I could work part time doing something completely different that feeds my creative soul...

What might be available for an older woman like myself?
Or do I simply retire and take care of my family, home and garden at a slow pace?
I love to potter about in the kitchen and would love to join a fitness class and get back into Yoga.

There is a sense of reinvention brewing...
I can feel the vibration of change in the air.

I'd need to be much more frugal
 but in the end would it not all balance out?

Luxury is not buying the latest Hermes scarf or the most popular designer hand bag.
Luxury is a gift, a gift of time that money cannot buy.


 Merriam Webster defines luxury as:

a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort : sumptuous environment

something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary

an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease

Devoting time to an elderly parent, tending to a wonderful husband, reading more books, painting and perhaps taking a writing course or volunteering with The Art Gallery or in a soup kitchen.

My wardrobe is small and consists of mostly neutral shades.
I think it would transfer very well into a casual lifestyle....
Lunching, volunteering, taking Mother out and fitness/Yoga classes I'd certainly have plenty of options in my closet.

OOTD

It was mid week when I snapped this shot and my outfit is very casual.

My days are very busy and active at work so I don't opt for dry clean only garments

plus anything that rides up or shows off too much flesh is not going to make the cut.

Gilmour mushroom toned tunic top

black ponte knit leggings

black boots

(very affordable and pedestrian ~ Hush Puppies)

Burberry wool scarf

Sherman pin

(Gift from MIL eons ago)

The old washer and dryer are going to be vacating any day now as the tiler will be back on the job

The new LG's will arrive after the tile has been completed.

This brooch always gets comments.

Chester likes to get in on the action!

Change is inevitable

life does not stand still.

“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.”
― Maya Angelou

My thoughts today...

embracing honest feelings and listening to my heart.

Be Well.

Hostess

XO